Snapplify continues shock-and-awe ‘applification’ of world’s content

April 23, 2012

Snapplify, already the leading tablet app producer in Africa, is continuing its shock-and-awe ‘applification’ of the world’s content industries with another international showing, this time at the London Book Fair on 16 to 18 April.

The company, which launched officially at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2011, has a bustling London schedule that includes the launch of its Android platform. Its iPad version already succeeded in bagging publisher’s iMaverick, Random House Struik, New Holland Publishing and Fiell Publishing.

CEO Wesley Lynch says other items on the London agenda include a further beefing up of Snapplify’s regional channels. “We offer their clients – publishers with little or no skills in digital content – the opportunity to ‘applify’ their back and forward catalogues instantly, at no upfront cost. Monetisation and distribution is taken care of with the tablet app store model, so it really is very compelling. One can almost hear the global sigh of relief. Since small outfits can join us at no cost and grow with us, we think we will quickly ramp up with localised applications that meet local wants and needs, and quick, efficient distribution of the core service to new markets.”

Lynch says the high profiles of the Frankfurt and London events serve to position Snapplify as a global company. Its cloud-based platform can efficiently service any company anywhere in any content-rich industry (including book and magazine publishing, travel and e-commerce), and with a regional channel model it has the local legs to support clients through any growing pains.

“Our objective is to be in every corner of the globe. At Frankfurt, we applified an Australian publisher’s content there and then, and had an instant convert as a result. In London, we plan to do the same. Bring your content and we’ll do the rest.”

In the last few weeks, Snapplify has signed a number of new clients across the English- and Arabic-speaking world, including the massively influential Kotobarabia and Ka Boom Studios in the US.

Snapplify client testimonialsThe start-up’s existing clients have the following to say about its service:

“Fast-moving, serious and caring about their customers, the Snapplify team does what they say they are going to.” Christian Tingstroem, ar/t/chitecture Magazine

“As Africa's first publisher of a daily iPad-only newspaper, we needed a platform that would be feature-rich, easy-to-use, affordable, customisable and commensurate with the quality of our publication. After a global search, we decided on Snapplify. As a daily production, we require a stable and user-friendly interface, and Snapplify provides that. From a reader's perspective the app has proven to be extremely stable and easy to use, with new updates improving the user experience all the time.” Styli Charalambous, CEO of iMaverick

"I cannot praise Snapplify enough for all that they have done for us. Our new iMaverick app is stable, looks great and uses almost no bandwidth at all." Branko Brkic, founder and editor of The Daily Maverick

“Snapplify allows publishers to unlock the value in their existing PDF files quickly and easily by creating branded mobile apps containing multiple publications. Publishers are able to add extra multimedia content and benefit from the cross-selling opportunities within the mobile app. Snapplify gives publishers a risk-free and fast route to mobile tablet customers.” Mark Seabrook, digital director New Holland Publishing SA
"Snapplify's platform is innovative because it is simple. Being a publisher from an emerging economy, it is difficult for me to comply with international standards such as EPUB (especially when EPUB does not comply with the standards of my language). As a result, digitally distributing my content on valuable e-real estate such as the iPad and other tablets is expensive, time-consuming and often impossible. Snapplify's pdf-based platform solves those issues, and now my titles are available on the iPad (and soon on other systems)." Ramy Habeeb, Director and Co-Founder, Kotobarabia

Runaway growthTo supports its runaway growth, the Cape town-based firm maintains a London office that handles new business development, partner and customer relationship management, and on-the-ground support.

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